Prophetic Interpretations ...

The Bible is full of prophesies and contains the keys to interpreting them. This communication from God regarding what was coming was given for more than just its “news” value. It was given to provide evidence that God was the true author behind all the scriptures. The several hundred prophesies regarding the Messiah for instance were used to determine the real one (Jesus Christ) from all the counterfeits who claimed this role in and around the time of Christ. Only Jesus fit and fulfilled every single prophecy written about Him from the Biblical authors who preceded Him. But what about the New Testament prophecies, are there any left that we should be paying attention to? What is the value of prophecy to us?

Information is power. There are those wall-street tycoons who can make you a fortune if you can accurately predict a future event – even if that event is a disaster in nature. People are constantly looking into the future to try to make proper decisions in the present. Yes, we use history as a guideline, but our entire economy is based on a series of leading economic indicators that are closely studied to determine which direction we are heading. But I would argue that economics is more art than science in that no matter how well we think we have it defined, we find ourselves only certain about the past, rarely the present, and almost never the future. The economy is a balancing act, where almost any unknown factor can present itself, and wreck the whole picture.

So the better question to ask about prophecy is why it is given. Man is not designed to have control. It is the most fundamental truth about our Salvation that we need a savior to save us. We are incapable of doing it ourselves. So when prophecy is given it cannot be designed with the idea that man could use it to control events. Many well-meaning Christians look at end-time prophecies regarding Israel and believe our U.S. foreign policy should be designed around these ideas. As if God somehow needed our help in order for a prophecy to be fulfilled – No, but thank you for playing. God does not need our “help”. Most of the time our “help” does little to actually help anything; it more often gets in the way - another truth about the value of human wisdom. So then prophecy is not shared with us, in order for us to help see it get fulfilled, but perhaps to recognize it when it does.

Prophecy is also not a key component of our salvation. We are saved through grace, regardless of what the future brings us. We are saved by grace, regardless of our numbers. The prophecy of the 144,000 of end-time events for instance seems to show a special significance to this many of God’s servants as time draws to a close. However, we would not adjust our entire thinking about salvation just because this numbered group may have a purpose beyond just general salvation. We remain saved by grace. The 144,000 may be miracle workers, a group of pastors or perhaps effective witnesses for God, those that in some special way do His will. But this does not impact “how” we are saved. So then our ultimate disposition has already been decided, regardless of prophecy.

Prophecy may have more than one interpretation, or better stated, more than one reason for being shared as it is. Think about it. The book of Revelations is chock full of symbolism and metaphors. It relies on items we know like candlesticks, crowns, cities, and people – but also on things that are sheer fantasy imagery for us – beasts with differing parts combined into one, dragons, seas from which things emerge, and plagues on a global scale. All of this imagery is NOT required to pass us a fundamental message in clear distinct terms. It would have been just as easy for John the revelator to write that “in the future a new country with the name ‘the United States of America’ will emerge based on democratic principles, that will help the Lord’s church by offering a place where freedom of religion is practiced” than to write … “and the woman was given two great eagles wings … and the earth helped the woman … and the dragon went to make war with the remnant of her seed.” in Revelations chapter 12.

Perhaps this lack of clarity is designed to make us study the prophecies, but also to allow it to have more than one application, perhaps in more than one period of time. For instance, the end-time prophecies regarding the seven churches correspond to seven actual Christian church communities of the day in which John wrote, and could be also applied to time periods of the Christian church from Christ until now. This makes the prophecy relevant in the day of John, as well as relevant in the coming years. The imagery suits both purposes whereas too direct a message from John, might have centered our study only on the historical context of his writings rather than on the current applications.

Perhaps another reason for metaphors and symbolism is to allow for variations we encounter today. Keeping to the example of the seven last churches, even within a denomination of a particular Christian faith, we might find particular churches that seem to emulate Philadelphia for example, or Laodicea, or Thyatira. Or perhaps we may encounter a particular church that carries the best or worst of all these churches counseled by John. Opening our minds to the idea that more than one literal application is possible allows for us to personalize the messages perhaps more than we otherwise would. This too could be a reason why prophecy is shrouded in imagery rather than blanket statements of fact.

Perhaps another reason for imagery is to discuss matters that transcend our ideas of importance but not God’s. For instance, we view the world through the prism of our own lives. We think about things that directly impact us. What are we eating tonight for dinner? What are we going to have to get done tomorrow? Etc.. But God looks at our lives in the context of a great spiritual war that has been waging since before we were born, although hopefully may still conclude in our lifetimes. He may wish to bring to our minds this conflict that is the most important one from His point of view, and impacts us the most from His point of view, into our reality. The prophetic images may be designed to call our attention to ideas beyond our immediate survival, and to our spiritual condition and survival in that context.

It does us no good to have a prophecy we cannot understand, so even within all this imagery are the keys to unlocking its meaning(s). The symbol of a woman is most often interpreted as a church for instance. The timing of a day is most often interpreted as a year in God’s calendar. Beasts with certain traits reveal the character of the beast or attributes they represent – wings for speed, lions for strength, horns for power, etc.. The study of prophecy then is not for the faint of heart. It takes time and discipline to unlock the secrets contained in scripture. But despite the apparent deciphering mechanisms, people can agree about a set of prophecies, and still get it completely WRONG.

This kind of thing usually happens when we ignore a basic truth written in the Bible, in favor of a specific application of prophecy. For instance, Christ says about His second coming return to earth that … “ no man knows the day or the hour except the Father” found in Matthew 24:36. Not even the angels know exactly when our time is up. This is a very clear text, with a very clear meaning, that even a child can understand. Yet it did nothing to stop the Christian Millerite movement of the 1830’s and 1840’s from taking place on a global scale. William Miller along with a good number of fellow contemporary preachers from all around the world began preaching that in October 24th, 1844 that “the sanctuary would be cleansed”. They interpreted this to mean that the earth was the sanctuary and that cleansing it would result in the return of Jesus. Not a bad conclusion, but a wrong one.

The timelines they had constructed were actually accurate. It started with the command to restore and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and ended in October of 1844. This 2300 hundred day prophecy as it was called accurately predicted the coming of the Messiah within it. And so supported by the demonstrations of history that seemed to support the validity of this prophecy, preachers and believers the world over began planning their lives around it. The society of the 1840’s was largely based on farming and many devout followers of this new idea, decided not to plant seed that year. Why bother, Christ would come right in the middle of harvest anyway. People sold lands, gave up vices, told their neighbors what to expect. It was the first world-wide global Christian outreach, all based on an interpretation of prophecy that stood against the text in Matthew written as clear as day. And as we know, universal Christian consensus across denominations did not make this prophetic interpretation correct. They were all wrong.

The aftermath of this worldwide debacle left many who believed losing their faith completely. It is ironic they were likely fulfilling yet another prophecy about a book that was “sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the stomach”. But I cite this example as the current Christian community is not immune from repeating the same basic mistakes in its interpretations of prophecy. The Bible is very clear about the manner in which Christ returns. He will appear in like manner as he left, in full view of his followers in the clouds with angels. Revelations 1:7 says “and every eye shall see Him”. Thessalonians talks about a shout, a trumpet, and the dead rising from the graves to greet Him. This is a worldwide cataclysmic event that believers and non-believers alike are going to witness. Yet despite the preponderance of texts that describe a very visible, and loud second coming. Current thinking believes in the idea of a “secret rapture” where no-one sees Him coming or leaving again. It’s based on a possible interpretation of prophecy, but then it opens up more questions than it answers – how do people get converted after the Holy Spirit is gone from the earth, and the Antichrist is in charge? Why do people get a third chance to believe? Etc. I believe this is just another example where Christian consensus on prophetic interpretation is misguided.

But the value of prophecy may be less in the details and more in the thematic. The fact that Christ is returning to earth to gather His followers is more important than how He returns. The how may help us to recognize Him, but the fact that He returns is what we have all been waiting for. The surety we have that Christ will return has already been substantiated by the several hundred prophesies fulfilled at his first coming as the Messiah. This is not a mere guessing game, where we have to hope that some random prophecy of God will come true. Most already have. Prophecy then, should affirm our faith in God. It should remind us who is in charge of events beyond our comprehension, yet those in which we play a role. It should be studied to find deeper meanings and deeper truths, but always under the leadership of submission to Christ. Our humility can enable us to learn more. Our abandonment of preconceived ideas and notions can dispel traditional myths that develop over time.

Perhaps most importantly, should be our recognition that we need not obsess over end time prophecies. We do not live under threat of a returning angry God; rather we live under the hope and eager anticipation of the source of all love. We do not look forward to facing the flames for our deeds; but rather in humility to finally acknowledge the savior who removes the pain of sin from our daily lives. Plagues that fall are inconsequential. Anti-Christ’s that arise or fall or attempt world domination are inconsequential. Persecution itself is inconsequential. The only thing that matters is to find ourselves nestled in the love of our God. The only thing that matters is to know like little children, that even if Rome is burning, we will be protected from what takes place. Our lives do not center around what we find in front of us today. Our lives are meant for the infinite. Our purpose is meant for eternity. Nothing that comes is meant to scare us, but rather to reassure us that God is in charge and more powerful than the events that we see unfold.